My tasty DIY lamb rub recipe combines flavorful herbs and spices into an out-of-this-world Mediterranean-inspired lamb seasoning you'll love. Perfect for grilling, roasting, or smoking your favorite cut of lamb. Your lamb will never be plain again once you've tried this deliciously addictive homemade lamb seasoning.
See my ultimate guide to cooking lamb for all the best cooking techniques once your lamb is seasoned. If you're a fan of lamb, be sure to try my satisfying lamb marinade too.
You won't believe how tasty your lamb can be until you try my homemade lamb rub. I'm one of those people who is usually only so-so about lamb and I have to say that I REALLY look forward to using this seasoning blend again and again.
As in, I can't wait to cook more lamb very soon - I even bought three more split lamb breasts! Try my satisfying grilled lamb breast or roasted lamb breast recipes next.
🥘 Ingredients
- Salt - I like to use Kosher salt, Redmond salt, or Pink Himalayan salt, but you can use any salt you prefer. Be sure to adjust your salt amount when using table salt, as you'll need a bit less than when seasoning with Kosher salt.
- Parsley - Dried parsley is what I used and what needs to be used if storing any remaining lamb rub. You can, of course, opt for fresh parsley if you will be applying the entire rub portion today.
- Rosemary - Dried or fresh rosemary depending on the timing of your use (as noted above with the parsley). See my favorite rosemary substitute herbs here.
- Oregano - Mediterranean varieties are really good! This is one of those herbs that REALLY belongs with lamb. See all of my oregano substitutes if you don't have any on hand.
- Sage - Dried ground or rubbed sage both work wonderfully in this savory seasoning mix. I also have great sage substitute herbs if you don't keep sage at home.
- Orange Peel - You'll want to find the dried orange peel (not candied orange peel, or freshly zested peel) in the spice and seasoning section at your local grocery store.
- Onion Powder - Adds a wonderful depth of flavor with the tasty herbs.
- Paprika - I prefer smoked paprika, however, both regular and sweet paprika work as well.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Make Lamb Rub
The best part is you can easily tailor any of your mixes, blends, or rubs to your particular tastes. Depending on your preferences, you can finely grind the herbs and spices using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, or apply them to your lamb as-is.
1x this recipe yields ½ cup of robust lamb seasoning, enough to season up to 3-4 pounds of lamb meat. The flavors are also exceptional when used on equal quantities of chicken or pork.
Combine the Lamb Rub Spices
Step 1: Gather all your spices. Measure out 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt (or 1½ tablespoons of table salt), 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, 2 teaspoons ground or rubbed sage, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried orange peel, 1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper.
Step 2: Combine. In a small bowl combine and mix all of the herbs and spices until well combined.
Step 3: Storing. For later use, store any unused portion of this lamb rub in an airtight container, in a cool, dark, and dry space like your pantry or spice cabinet. Be sure to shake, stir, or mix up the lamb rub before using it later. See more specifics in the storing section below.
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💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- For Smoking Lamb - Rub the seasoning all over the outside of the lamb meat and be sure to apply the dry rub at least 1 hour before you start smoking the lamb. I prefer to return the lamb to the fridge during this time.
- For Roasting Lamb - This Mediterranean lamb rub can be applied immediately before cooking. For better results coat the lamb and allow the seasoned lamb to 'dry brine' for up to 24 hours in the roasting pan, in the refrigerator.
- For Grilling Lamb - You can coat lamb chops, or smaller cuts, super easily by adding the rub to a plastic zip lock bag, adding the meat, sealing, and then shaking the bag to get a nice even coat.
🥡 Storing
Store any unused portion of the lamb rub in an airtight container in a cool dark space. Your spices, depending on when they were packaged, can last for up to 2 years, while dried herbs can last for up to 3 years.
Since this is a combination of both, I would stick with the lower storage maximum of 2 years. Smell and use your best judgment as to whether or not it's time to discard the remaining rub.
❓ Best Lamb Rub Recipe FAQs
Since lamb has a unique, strong, or robust flavor that is often referred to by some as 'gamey' it can hold up to many other strong flavors. Spices that work exceptionally well with lamb include one of my all-time favorites, nutmeg, as well as cayenne, chili powder, coriander, cumin, garlic powder, mustard powder, onion powder, and paprika.
Earthy and woodsy-flavored herbs with strong flavor profiles will complement your lamb beautifully. Rosemary and oregano are my top two herbs that I consider to be the best with lamb, although mint is another great flavor to use in complex lamb dishes (see my mint sauce for lamb).
Other great herbs to use with lamb are basil, rosemary, sage, thyme, and even lavender.
🐑 Amazing Lamb Recipes
- Grilled Lamb Steaks
- Instant Pot Leg Of Lamb
- Grilled Lamb Shanks
- Lamb Marinade
- Lamb Gravy
- Roasted Rack Of Lamb
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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📖 Recipe Card
Lamb Rub
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoon ground sage
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried orange peel
- 1 teaspoon paprika (or smoked paprika)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Measure out all ingredients into a small mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 2 teaspoons each of dried rosemary, ground sage, and onion powder, plus 1 teaspoon each of oregano, dried orange peel, paprika, and ground black pepper.
- Mix completely until the spices and herbs are evenly distributed in the mixture.
- Apply liberally to lamb or store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Use ¾ tablespoon table salt for each 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt.
- For Smoking Lamb - Rub the seasoning all over the outside of the lamb meat and be sure to apply the dry rub at least 1 hour before you start smoking the lamb. I prefer to return the lamb to the fridge during this time.
- For Roasting Lamb - This Mediterranean lamb rub can be applied immediately before cooking. For better results coat the lamb and allow the seasoned lamb to 'dry brine' for up to 24 hours in the roasting pan, in the refrigerator.
- For Grilling Lamb - You can coat lamb chops, or smaller cuts, super easily by adding the rub to a plastic zip lock bag, adding the meat, sealing, and then shaking the bag to get a nice even coat.
Tonette says
I absolutely love this recipe! These lamb ribs are delicious, it's the only way my family will eat them.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
It's my favorite too, and I'm really picky about the taste of lamb. Thanks for sharing the love! 💖
Gail says
I also use the spice on pork chops and let them sit overnight. It’s excellent on pork chops and lamb!
M Jones says
Excellent rub to make sure it gets everywhere I score the lamb on both sides.
Amy says
what can I use in place of orange peel. I can't seem to find it. I used fresh and it worked well.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
You can zest most any citrus (orange, lemon, lime, tangerine are my favorites for this rub) onto a plate and let them set out to dry a bit. Fresh works, too, as you found out. Thanks for asking!
Chris says
Trying it tonight on lamb breast
Douglas says
This rub is Ex-cel-lent! I’ve used it at least 8-10 times for grilling my lamb chops and it’s always delicious. It’s fast and easy and the lamb doesn’t require anything else but this rub. I wish it was sold in stores. I hate that it took me this long to leave a comment… Just an outstanding rub recipe!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Thank you, we absolutely love this rub as well!
KH says
Amazing! This was perfect for our roast, thanks!
Wes says
This is a perfect spice blend for lamb!
Dee says
Hi! I used this recipe on lamb shoulders at Easter this year. The blend is perfect. Because I had 8 pieces, I just sprinkled each seasoning on the lamb. I think that helps with overdoing it when you have small pieces. The orange peel was the best. I buy a lot of herbs and spices for other uses, and I was tickled to know that I had orange peel in my home already! 😊
I’m making lamb now, using the recipe again. It was 🤌🏾 perfectly seasoned once again.
Thank you
Lydia says
This was the best rub for lamb that I have ever used.
Vickey says
This has become a favorite of mine. I use it on different cuts of meat and mix it in with ground meats as well. Thx for a real "keeper."
BDK says
Made this last night, didn't have orange peel but otherwise no changes. It was fabulous.
Will definitely be a keeper, will have to try it with orange peel. Yum!
Peter says
Hello, I just tried this last night. I found that the amount of salt is way too much for us. 2 tablespoons?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Hi Peter, yes some may find it too salty I think that depends on individual taste and preference. It is designed to be used for 3-4 lbs of lamb, how much and what cut of lamb did you use?
Paul says
An amazing blend of seasoning for lamb! The taste is fantastic and cuts the "gaminess" that comes from lamb sometimes. It really is amazing and should be sold online!
Paul says
Tried this and it was delish
Rebekah says
I made lamb for my husband's birthday and used this rub. My husband said it was "exceptional." Definitely a winning spice rub in our house and one we will use again. Even my nine-year-old commented on how delicious it was. She said we need to make it to use as a regular seasoning.
DIANE HARDNETT says
i just came back from korea my made lamb chops on the smoker they were so good i going to try this seasoning for my lamb when i cook them.